Blast First is a sub label of one-time independent record label Mute Records, founded in approximately 1985. The label was founded by Paul Smith to give UK release to albums by Sonic Youth, a US band with which he was then working closely. It went on to feature more hardcore rock bands than the master label of its synthpop-oriented parent company.
(Read more at Wikipedia.)
Links to Peel[]
Peel was a huge fan of Blast First during the label's early years, when the indie rock-centered operation under Mute Records became known particularly for giving UK releases to a dynamic new generation of US alternative bands. Writing in the Observer at the end of 1988, the DJ endorsed “almost anything on the Blast First label” in his best-of-year roundup.[1] Around the same time, he was widely quoted as describing Blast First as the “most important label of the age”.[2] [3]
Generous airtime was given to landmark albums of the late 1980s by US bands including Big Black,[1] Butthole Surfers, Dinosaur Jr and Sonic Youth, with many of Blast First’s American artists recording Peel sessions while on tour in the UK. Among the label’s British acts, Head Of David appeared in the DJ's year-end Festive Fifty Session Broadcasts in both 1986 and 1987. In October 1989, his Radio One show featured competitions to win copies of Blast First compilation “Nothing Short Of Total War (Part One)”[4] as well as the related 10x7" box set “Devil's Jukebox”[5]. The DJ even played a track by the band Arsenal despite his strong dislike for the football team of the same name.
The strength of the early Blast First roster rested heavily on label founder Paul Smith’s ties with Sonic Youth, who introduced many bands they knew from the American alternative circuit, but the New York group eventually departed to sign a worldwide deal with a major and other US bands followed their example, dealing a heavy blow to the UK independent. With Peel’s main focus across the Atlantic also shifting, to the emerging grunge scene on Seattle-based Sub Pop, fewer Blast First releases were subsequently heard on his shows.
In later years, however, occasional sessions by Blast First artists did continue to appear on Peel's R1 programmes, including from Labradford, Terrashima and Finnish electronic music outfit Pan Sonic. In 2003, after Mute had been acquired by EMI, San Francisco indie rock combo Erase Errata became the final band on Blast First to enter the Maida Vale studios for the DJ. In July 2004, Blast First was selected as a Peel Label Of The Month for the BBC website.[6]
Sessions[]
Blast First artists who recorded Peel sessions. List includes sessions when the artists were not on Blast First.
- AC Temple: (1 session, 1987)
- Afghan Whigs: (1 session, 1994)
- Band Of Susans: (2 sessions, 1988-89)
- Big Black: (1 session, 1987)
- Butthole Surfers: (2 sessions, 1987-88)
- Dinosaur Jr: (3 sessions, 1988-92)
- Erase Errata: (1 session, 2003)
- Head Of David: (4 sessions, 1986-89)
- Kaito: (1 session, 2001)
- Labradford: (1 session, 1996)
- Liars: (2 sessions, 2002-04)
- Lunachicks: (1 session, 1989)
- Mekons: (6 sessions, 1978-87)
- Pan Sonic: (1 session, 1995)
- Raincoats: (3 sessions, 1979-94)
- Sonic Youth: (3 sessions, 1986-89)
- Stretchheads: (1 session, 1991)
- Terrashima: (2 sessions, 2002)
- UT: (2 sessions, 1984-1988)
Festive Fifty[]
The list below covers Festive Fifty entries on Blast First; it does not include entries by Blast First artists on other labels.
Big Black - L Dopa
- Big Black: Colombian Necktie (1987 Festive Fifty #18) / L Dopa (1987 Festive Fifty #42)
- Butthole Surfers: 22 Going On 23 (1987 Festive Fifty #44)
- Dinosaur Jr.: Freak Scene (1988 Festive Fifty #05) / Just Like Heaven (1989 Festive Fifty #12)
- Sonic Youth: (I Got A) Catholic Block (1987 Festive Fifty #37) / Schizophrenia (1987 Festive Fifty #13) / Silver Rocket (1988 Festive Fifty #29) / Teenage Riot (1988 Festive Fifty #19)
Peelenium[]
- Peelenium 1987: Big Black: L Dopa
Compilations[]
 |
 |
Plays by Peel from various artist (v/a) releases on Blast First.
(LP - Nothing Short Of Total War (Part One))
- 16 October 1989: Sonic Youth: Come And Smash Me Said the Boy With The Magic Penis
- 18 October 1989: Dinosaur Jr: Bulbs Of Passion
- 30 October 1989: Dinosaur Jr: Bulbs Of Passion
- 01 November 1989: Big Black: He's A Whore
(10 x 7" box set - Devil's Jukebox)
- 17 October 1989: UT: Evangelist
- 17 October 1989: Sonic Youth: Magic Wand
- 17 October 1989: Head Of David: Bugged
- 17 October 1989: Arsenal: Little Hitlers
- 24 October 1989: Sonic Youth: Come & Smash Me Said The Boy With The Magic Penis
- 24 October 1989: Butthole Surfers: Jimi
- 25 October 1989: Big Stick: Devil's Jukebox
- 04 November 1989 (BFBS): Sonic Youth: Come & Smash Me Said The Boy With The Magic Penis
- 11 November 1989 (BFBS): Dinosaur Jr: Bulbs Of Passion
- 20 November 1989: Sonic Youth: Come And Smash Me Said The Boy With The Magic Penis
(CD - Sonic Mook Experiment 3: Hot Shit)
- 01 July 2003: Erase Errata: Other Animals Are No.1
- July 2003 (FSK): Erase Errata: Other Animals Are No.1
See Also[]
Links[]
References[]
- ↑ Big Black leader Steve Albini would be a continuing presence on Peel's shows over subsequent decades, both as a musician and a producer.